Improvement in heel-stiffeners for boots



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED H.l WILLOUGHBY, OF WOBURN, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN HEEL-STIFFENERS FOR BOOTS, &c.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 147,030, dated February 3, 1874; application filed November 21, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

y Be it known that I, ALFRED H. WILL- OUGHBY, of Woburn, in the county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Heel- Stifl'eners for Boots and Shoes; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specication, in which- Figure l is a plan of the blank from which my improved heel-stiffener is struck up or molded. Fig. 2 is an under view of the stiffener when ready for use. Fig. 3 is an isometrical perspective View of the same.

My invention relates to that class of heelsti'eners which are molded or formed in a matrix, or by means of a die or former; and

lconsists in a blank cut in a peculiar manner,

and moldedv or formed as described, the object being to overcome difficulties experienced in the ordinary molded stiifener, and furnish such purpose.

After the vblank is cut out in the form shown in Fig. 1, it is suitably moistened and pressed,

by means o f a die or mold, into the form shown in Figs. 2 and 3, in which shape it is properly dried, and is ready-for use.

I am aware that heel-stieners having one or more notches or saw-teeth, as shown in ing as to require a large amount of skiving before the sole of the shoe can be properly adjusted and sewed or nailed down in place. Another objection to such stiffeners is the difficulty experienced in adjusting them to lasts of different widths, their peculiar formation rendering them unyielding, to a great extent, laterally. These difficulties and objections are nearly or quite overcome in my improved stiffener by means of the diagonal slits C C, which prevent crimping to a great extent, and allow the stiffener lto be more readily adjusted to lasts of different widths than is possible with the ordinary kind.

I therefore lay no claim whatsoever to a stiffener formed from a blank having the notches B B only, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5; but

What I do claim is- A heel-stiffener molded or formed from a blank having the notches B B and slits C C,

substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

ALFRED H. VVILLOUGHBY.

Witnesses CHARLEs LETTs, JOHN GLEAsoN. 

